ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Shri Nitin Gadkari chairs 10th meeting of Group of Infrastructure Committee to address existing inter-ministerial issues with regard to implementation of various infrastructure projects
Shri Gadkari says an action plan has been introduced to accelerate PM Gati Shakti scheme's progress
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari chaired the 10th meeting of Group of Infrastructure Committee today to address existing inter-ministerial issues with regard to implementation of various infrastructure projects. Shri Gadkari said an action plan has been introduced to accelerate PM Gati Shakti scheme's progress.
Shri Piyush Goyal,Union Minister for Commerce and Industry; Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology; Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and Labour & Employment; Gen  V. K. Singh , Minister of State for RT&H & Civil Aviation; Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Power; Shri Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways; and Shri Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State for Defence & Tourism participated in the meeting.
Senior Officers from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways , Ministry of Defence , Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways , Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change , Ministry of Railways , Ministry for Commerce and Industry , Ministry of Power , Ministry of Civil Aviation , National Highways Authority of India , National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.  and representatives from States attended the meeting.
Several issues were placed on the agenda for deliberation to expedite the progress of on-going infrastructure projects. These included issues related to pending forest and environment clearances, facilitation of working permissions/approvals, ensuring land allocation/transfer and release of funds. Discussions were also held on policy matters related to environment/forest/wildlife clearance, railways and power, among others. Environment Clearances and Land policies of Railways & MoRTH and making comprehensive guidelines for Environment and Forest clearance were also discussed at length.
The concerned officers were directed to expedite the process of clearance and implementation of above matters. The stakeholder Ministries/Departments agreed to look into various issues raised and resolve the same in order to expedite infrastructure projects.
MJPS
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Special Service and Features
Govt School students Qualified for JEE Advanced 2023 trained by IGNITTE
IGNITTE is the teaching club of NIT Trichy to successfully train government school students for the JEE Mains and Advanced exams, free of cost.
Ramalakshmi M, GOVERNMENT GIRLS HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, PATTAMADAI, TIRUNELVELI a club student since 2021, has scored 95.226 percentile in the JEE Mains, qualifying for the JEE Advanced. Concepts were taught through online classes on weekdays and offline classes on some weekends, supplemented with resources and mock tests. A crash course was conducted from December 26, 2022, to January 12, 2023, at the NIT Trichy campus to enhance preparations and exam strategies.
Furthermore, 5 students scored above 80 percentile and 3 students scored above 75 percentile, making a total of 9 students trained by the club qualifying for the JEE Advanced examination. NIT Trichy is congratulating the achievers and wishing them success for JEE Advanced. In the last 3 years, IGNITTE has assisted 2 students who got admission to NIT Trichy and a student each in IIT Madras and Stanley Medical College.
IGNITTE has a team of 50 members studying at NIT Trichy, who assist the students and are committed to providing equal opportunities to all students, irrespective of their financial constraints, to help them achieve their aspirations. The members of IGNITTE express their thanks to the Director NIT Trichy Dr G. Aghila, and Dean Dr. R. Karvembu Dr N. Kumaresan- Dean , District administration of Trichy and Tirunelveli and the Faculty advisors of
IGNITTE - Dr R. Manjula and Dr K. Selvakumar for their assistance throughout the year
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Now LPG can be transported through Inland Waterways
IWAI inks MoU with MOL  Pte. Ltd, World’s largest gas carrier company
A Memorandum of Understanding is signed between IWAI and MOL  Pte. Ltd for transportation of LPG  through barges on National Waterways-1 and National Waterways-2, in the presence of Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Mansukh Mandaviya.
Inland Waterways Authority of India will provide support for:
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- Facilitating with adequate fairway.
- Handling of LPG cargo on IWAI terminals/ Multimodal Terminals at Haldia, Sahibganj and Varanasi as per notified provisions and rates on request of MOL.
- Providing Lease Available Depth  information on fortnightly/ monthly basis.
MOL Group is the world’s largest gas carrier company and will invest for construction and operation of dedicated LPG barges under Make-in-India initiative of the Government of India. Aegis Group proposed investments for setting up storage terminals, dedicated pipelines between jetty to the terminal and necessary infrastructure at jetty for evacuation of products from barges.
Presently, 60% of the LPG is moved through road to the various locations with a cost of Rs. 5 to 6 per metric tonne per kilometre, which the oil companies are interested in reducing. Also at times, there are issues of strikes by transporters, road blockages which cause delay in transportation. Therefore, the main area of interest for the companies is to use waterways to have a cheaper alternative to the existing mode of transportation, which is also cleaner and greener mode. Also, there are some areas which are difficult to approach through rail/ road especially in the North-East Region where IWT sector may provide usable solutions, besides the parcel size as compared to road trucks which can carry 17 MT of LPG in case of barges shall be of bigger size depending on the barge leading to economies of scale.
Besides salient features of LPG over other commodities, is that LPG is a clean cargo with zero leakages and spillage as the products are handled by pipelines in a fully closed loop with utmost safety precautions being regulated by PNGRB and PESO.
LPG cargo needs less berthing time compared to any other bulk cargo. Besides there is no requirement of conveyors, etc., installed on berths/ jetties.
Handling LPG by inland waterways will help reduce the carbon footprints, lowering the overall logistics cost, which in India stands approx. 13 to 14% of GDP, compared to global average of 8% and contributing to Government social schemes like “UJJAWLA” for LPG supply.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Study on Post COVID Diseases
Indian Council of Medical Research , an autonomous body under the Department of Health Research, has established a COVID clinical registry at 20 sites across the country to capture clinical treatment and outcomes of COVID-19. This information is only limited to hospitalized patients. Post Covid studies are being carried out on various conditions like aortic and lung inflammation, mucormycosis etc. Although, Health is a State subject, Government of India has advised the States to establish post COVID clinics in their respective appropriate health facilities to cater to the needs of people suffering various post COVID conditions.
Also, expert groups are working on modules/guidelines on various post COVID conditions/issues.
The Minister of State , Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs
More than 175.63 Crore vaccine doses provided to States/UTs
More than 12.68 Crore balance and unutilized vaccine doses still available with States/UTs
The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on 16th January 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply  75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.
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VACCINE DOSES
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SUPPLIED
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1,75,63,31,180
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BALANCE AVAILABLE
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12,68,63,307
More than 175.63 crore  vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt. of India  and through direct state procurement category.
More than 12.68 Cr  balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
PIB Headquarters
KVK set to ensure availability of genuine desi poultry in urban homes
Kochi: Ernakulam Krishi Vigyan Kendra  is set to ensure the good availability of authentic desi poultry in urban homes of the city. The KVK will collect one-day old chicks from organic poultry farmers in the district after ensuring the purity of the genus of the poultry and will distribute through its sales counter located at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute . In the first step of this initiative, KVK formed a group of desi poultry farmers in the district and a self-help group at a meeting held at CMFRI on Wednesday.
“After collecting the chicks, the KVK will rear them for two months and during the period necessary vaccines and feeds will be administered. Only then, the poultry will be handed over to those in need of this variety”, said Dr Shinoj Subramanian, Head of KVK. The Kendra would also ensure that farmers were practicing the scientific method in poultry farms as advised by the KVK before buying the chicks from them, he said.
KVK’s initiative assumes significance in the wake of the shortage of desi poultry among the city residents. “KVK will start buying the chicks of original desi genus from next May and it is expected that the vaccinated poultry could be distributed by July”, Dr Shinoj said.
“The farmers’ group under the KVK is also planning to solve the issue of shortage of feeds for organic poultry. An attempt will be made to produce the feed under farmers’ group” he added.
In an another major initiative of the KVK and the poultry farmers associated with, desi eggs would be made available in the market with a brand name. In addition to creating market avenue for the eggs, the price would be made uniform. Some of the health clubs in the city have already approached KVK for getting genuine desi eggs. “Currently, there is no systematic market for desi eggs. Even though there is a huge demand for the produce in the city, lack of proper market network stands in the way of farmers to reach out to the targeted buyers”, Dr Shinoj said.
As many as 30 organic poultry farmers attended the meeting at the CMFRI under which the Ernakulam KVK is functioning.
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Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
The script is the bible for every production designer: FTII Professor Prof. Ujjwal Gawand
"Production designer has to follow director's vision and film genre"
In the online segment of the first-ever hybrid edition of the International Film Festival of India, Prof. Ujjwal Gawad, Professor at FTII  shared his insights into the production design, the visual art and craft of cinematic storytelling, at a online session on “Production Design – A World Building for Films”.
Prof. Gawad emphasized the importance of script in the process. “For every production designer, the script of the film is the bible, Production designer gets his leads from script only and the main reference is the script.”
He said that the look and style of motion picture is created by imagination, artistry and collaboration of the director, director of photography and the production designer. “Production designer must know how to gel with the director, director of photography and the writer. Production designer has to follow the vision of director and the film genre. He/she has to collaborate with VFX designer, with costume designers as they follow the same colour palette, and with sound designer, if sync sound recording needs to be done.”
The professor introduced the meaning and history of production design. “A production designer is responsible for integrating the script with the director’s vision for the film and translating it into physical environments in which the actors can develop their characters and present the story.” The production designer emerged in 1939, when producer David O. Selznick  gave this title to William Cameron Menzies for his work on Gone with the Wind. He does not only set and décor, but storyboard, colour, style, short design, framing and composition as well. As a result of his extraordinary vision, William Cameron Menzies is recognised as the father of production design.
Prof. Ujjwal said that production design is a narrative tool. “It has the ability to create a world where narrative and action take place. It brings more interest and more authenticity to a set. It leads our imagination and draws us into a world, which includes architecture, colour, space, shape, texture, visual metaphors and visualisation of screenplay”.
He explained these tools with clips from the movie The Shape of Water.
While answering the questions from audience he said that film is a synthetic and combination of art; it is not compulsory to have institutional training.
He mentioned John Myhre , Brian Morris , Nitish Roy, Snigdha Basu, Aradhana Seth and Suzanne Caplan Merwanji  as some of his favourite production designers.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
EWS RESERVATION
As per information given by the Department of Personnel and Training a total of 84 persons have availed the benefit of EWS reservation for an appointment in Government services till date.
The total number of seats increased/additional seats created during the last two years to provide ten per cent EWS reservation in the central universities is as under:
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2019-20
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2020-21
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20240
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26983
An additional amount of Rs. 4315.15 Cr. was provided for the implementation of the EWS reservation during the last two years.
This information was given by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister pays tribute at the ‘Tomb of Unknown Soldier’
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid tributes at the ‘Tomb of Unknown Soldier’ in Athens on 25 August 2023.
Prime Minister laid a wreath at the ‘Tomb of Unknown Soldier'. He thereafter, inspected a ceremonial Guard of Honour.
Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Egypt on cooperation in the field of Agriculture & allied sectors
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding  between India and Egypt for cooperation in the field of agriculture & allied sectors.
The MoU provides for cooperation in areas of agricultural crops , agricultural biotechnology, nanotechnology, irrigation and water management technology including water harvesting and micro-irrigation technology, management of agriculture wastes management for energy production; food security, safety and quality; horticulture; organic agriculture; livestock husbandry, livestock breeding, dairying, fisheries, feed and fodder production; animal products and value addition; sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues concerning trade in plant and animal products; agriculture machinery in small scale; agri-business and marketing; pre and post-harvest procedures; food technology and processing; integrated pest management in agriculture; agricultural extension and rural development; agricultural trade & investment; intellectual property rights issues; technical know-how and human resources in seed sector; infrastructure development and capacity building in agriculture & allied sectors and other related areas of interest that are mutually agreed upon by both Parties.
Cooperation will also be effected through exchange of research scientists and experts; exchange of agricultural information and scientific publications ; exchange of germplasm & agriculture technology; and conducting joint seminars, workshops, symposiums and other similar activities.
Under the MoU, a Joint Working Group  will be formed to enhance cooperation on matters of mutual interest including consultations on bilateral issues. The JWG will meet at least annually in the initial two years, alternately in India and Egypt to formulate joint work programs, facilitation and consultation, including making additional supplementary engagements with regard to specific issues.
Ministry of Railways
Oxygen Expresses deliver cumulative 510 MT of oxygen to Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh
Haryana to get its first Oxygen Express, 5 empty containers leave from Faridabad to Rourkela
Oxygen Express delivers first set of consignment to Madhya Pradesh
 have been delivered to Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh & Delhi.
Haryana Govt. has also requested Railways for Oxygen Express. Currently, tankers are being loaded in Faridabad, which will be sent for filling to Rourkela. As of now, It is planned that 2 Oxygen Express with a capacity of 5 tankers each will be run specifically for Haryana.
Madhya Pradesh has received its first Oxygen Express carrying more than 64 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen today early morning. These tankers were unloaded at various locations in Madhya Pradesh in cities like Jabalpur , Bhopal  & Sagar .
4th Oxygen Express destined for Lucknow will be reaching Lucknow today carrying three tankers of LMO. Another empty rake is on its way  from Lucknow to Bokaro, which will bring another set of oxygen tanker replenishing oxygen supply to Uttar Pradesh. Continuous Oxygen Express to Uttar Pradesh is ensuring uninterrupted oxygen replenishment to the residents of UP.
So far, Indian Railways has delivered 202 metric tonnes to Uttar Pradesh, 174 metric tonnes to Maharashtra, 70 metric tonnes to Delhi and Madhya Pradesh 64 metric tonnes.
Ministry of Defence
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JS NAIN ASSUMES COMMAND OF PUNE BASED SOUTHERN COMMAND
Lieutenant General JS Nain, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal assumed command of Southern Army on 01 February 2021 with a solemn wreath laying ceremony to honour the fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial, Pune. It was followed by a traditional Guard of Honour at Headquarters Southern Command.
The General Officer is an alumnus of Sainik School, Kunjpura and National Defence Academy, Pune. He was commissioned in June 1983 into the Dogra Regiment. Currently he is also their Colonel of the Regiment. General Nain has comprehensive and well rounded operational experience through varied command and staff appointments tenated during his distinguished military career. He commanded his Battalion in Jammu and Kashmir on the Line of Control and in a strike Corps of Southern Command, a Mountain Brigade in North East, an Infantry Division responsible for dominating the Line of Control in North Kashmir and a strategically important Corps on the Western front.
The General Officer has been an Instructor at Infantry School and a Military Observer at the United Nation mission in Iraq and Kuwait. He has held prestigious staff appointments namely in an Independent Mechanised Brigade, Counter Insurgency Force, the Military Secretary's Branch at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence , Headquarter South Western Command and as Chief of Staff of two operationally active Commands ie; Headquarter Northern and Eastern Command.
He is academically inclined and has researched extensively on J&K, Pakistan, China and Bangladesh, making him a domain expert of these regions. He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College , Wellington, College of Defence Management, Secundrebad and the prestigious National Defence College at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The General Officer and his wife, Mrs Anita Nain, who is also the Regional President of Army Wives Welfare Association, were accorded a warm welcome by the Military Officials at Pune.
The General Officer extended his best wishes and congratulated all ranks of the Army Dental Corps and Military Farm on their Raising Day, on 01 February 2021 and exhorted them to continue their services in the true traditions of the Armed Forces.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Atrocities Against Elderly Citizens
As per information provided by National Crime Record Bureau , State/UT-wise cases registered, cases charge-sheeted, cases convicted, persons arrested, persons charge-sheeted and persons convicted under Crime against Senior Citizens during 2018-2020 is enclosed at Annexure-I. The reasons of atrocities against elderly citizens are not maintained by the NCRB.
Police and Public Order are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizen including investigation and prosecution of crime against senior citizens rest with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws. Government accords utmost priority to the safety of Senior Citizens. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued two detailed advisories dated 27.03.2008 and 30.08.2013 to all State Governments/UTs advising them to take immediate measures to ensure safety and security and for elimination of all forms of neglect, abuse and violence against old persons through initiatives such as identification of senior citizens, sensitization of police personnel regarding safety, security of older persons, regular visit of the best staff; setting up of toll free senior citizen helpline; setting up of senior citizen security cell; verification of domestic helps, drivers etc.
The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens  Act, 2007 prescribes that State Governments are to develop a Comprehensive Action Plan for protection of life and property of senior citizens.
This information was given by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar in the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.